In 2007, Pagani introduced its first track-focused model: the Zonda R. As the most fearsome and spartan distillation of the company’s technological capabilities, the Zonda R is truly the marque’s tour de force. Free from race and governmental regulations, the Zonda was designed to be the ultimate driver’s car, offering the […]
Author: Philip Richter
The $500 Million Endowment
In early November 2022, McPherson College announced that an anonymous donor had made an extraordinary endowment gift to the school. This record-breaking, potentially $500 million donation is the largest single commitment ever made to a liberal-arts college. This news thrust the small Kansas-based school into the headlines. It is notable […]
2012 McLaren MP4-12C
The MP4-12C was the first production road car developed entirely by McLaren, featuring a carbon-composite chassis and equipped with a 3.8-L twin-turbocharged V8 and Graziano 7-speed Seamless-Shift dual-clutch gearbox. This 2012 example is finished in the rare premium color of Mercury Red over a Carbon Black leather-and-Alcantara interior with red […]
AMG Alchemy
The 2022 SCM 1000 AMG Invitational was born out of a phone call. About two years ago, SCM Publisher Keith Martin called me to discuss his next serial car purchase. I suggested he consider an R230 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG. I explained that it is a near-supercar bargain, bestowed with one […]
Earning Their Place
The 2021 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance played host to a special class of Porsche 917 race cars. That this gathering — 50 years after the 917’s overall win at Le Mans in 1971 — would occur there, rather than in the paddock of some storied racing circuit, is significant. We […]
1988 Alpina B7 Turbo/1 Katalysator
This Alpina B7 Turbo/1 is number 243 of 278 examples produced between 1984 and 1987 and is one of 42 examples fitted with a catalytic converter. The car was produced in October 1986 and first registered in March 1988, and it was imported to the U.S. by the seller in […]
A Capital Idea
The collector-car world is experiencing a metamorphosis. Over the past six years, we have witnessed the maturation of the industry. The transition began in earnest when RM Auctions announced a strategic partnership with publicly traded Sotheby’s in 2015. Next, in 2020, media giant Hearst acquired Bring a Trailer for an […]
1993 Cizeta V16T
Given the Cizeta’s cost and exclusivity, it is no surprise that each V16T produced has an interesting backstory. This car, chassis 101, is no exception. After Brunei became an independent country in 1983, the Sultan of Brunei and his family used a portion of their vast oil wealth to build […]
An Exotic Daily Driver
As with most breakthrough products, the original variant is often the best. Such is the case with the first-generation 2007–15 Audi R8 4.2. While the R8 is not a supercar by today’s performance standards, it is incredibly well balanced and feels “just right,” especially with the 6-speed gated manual gearbox. […]
1990 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5 16 Evolution II
Sold at $258,500Gooding & Company Geared OnlineAugust 3–7, 2020, Lot 36 Chassis number: WDB2010361F732965SCM Condition for this car: 1- There are arguably only a handful of low-production collectible post-war Mercedes-Benz models. In no particular order, they include the iconic 300SL Gullwing and Roadster, the stately W186 300 “Adenauer,” the classic […]